


The Parchment Problem

by MathConcepts, sehellys



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Blood, Blood Drinking, Blood and Injury, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Original Character(s), Original Character(s), Other, Torture, Twin Bond, Twins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-08-24 12:55:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16640525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MathConcepts/pseuds/MathConcepts, https://archiveofourown.org/users/sehellys/pseuds/sehellys
Summary: Elladan and Elrohir are sent on a mission by Elrond to deliver a special message to their grandmother, Galadriel. They are ambushed by soiree of orcs, led by a despicable human captain, and Elladan is severely injured. Even though he is injured, Elladan is determined to eradicate the orcs and their leader, and hunts them, and is captured, and tortured horribly, as his brother races to save him.





	1. Frog

It was a bright sunny day, and the rays of Arnor reflected off the cliffs surrounding the Hidden valley and made it even warmer.

 

So, it was with little hesitation that the twin sons of Elrond agreed to accompany their littlest brother to the small pond at the garden's edge.

It was a small pond, not deep enough to swim in, not even for a human child of four years, but it was teeming with life. Clear white water lilies had opened their blossoms to the inviting sunlight while their pads, floating on the surface, provided a welcome resting place for the little frogs that made the pond their home.

It was the small amphibians that most captured Estel's interest as the young boy crouched between the lobelias at the water's edge, to observe them closer and perhaps even catch one.

"Dan! Ro!" he squealed in delight as his small hands closed gently around one of the wet inhabitants of the pond. "Come and see."

His adoptive brothers were sitting on a nearby bench, gratefully bathing in Arnor's rays and enjoying the tranquillity of the afternoon spend with their little brother.  


Elrohir rose to dutifully follow the summons, but one look at Elladan told him that he would be going alone.

 

The older twin barely cracked one eye open from where he had closed them against the sun's glare, he was quite content to enjoy said tranquillity for a moment longer.

Elrohir left, and soon excited exclamations from Estel and the soft sound of pearly laughter reached Elladan's ears, succeeding in making him feel even more at home.  
  
  
Home, but a few years ago he would not have thought that he would ever again find such peace here in Imladris, for what was a haven to for anyone seeking aid or rest had been nothing but a place of haunted memories for him and his twin. Too many things here reminded them of their mother, too keenly did they feel her and their sister's absence in the once bright gardens of Rivendell. And yet, that had changed.

When they had taken Estel in, two years ago, the brothers had silently sworn to protect the young child. Not only to protect the last heir of the line of their late uncle Elros Tar-Minyatur but also out of a feeling of responsibility for his father's death.

Arathorn had been killed while out hunting orcs with the two of them, and the guilt over the perceived failure sat deep, another painful loss that they had been too late to prevent.

So they had decided to guard Arathorn's son, to always stay at his side and make sure they would be there should he need their aid or protection.

And yet, it was no longer with a sense of duty that the twins returned to Imladris, after scouting missions and forays into the wild that had become much shorter than they used to be, to spend time with the young mortal.

In almost no time at all, Estel's cheerful spirit, in spite of the tragedy that had befallen him, and most importantly his unconditional love for both Elladan and Elrohir had allowed the boy to find his way into their hearts.

He returned to them the belief in something good in this world and the desire to protect, rather than destroy the servants of the enemy.

The laughter and the way Estel beheld the world with wonder had allowed his brothers to rediscover the beauty of the Hidden Valley at his side. And now Elladan was quite content to let that omnipresent laughter guide him into a soft afternoon doze in the warmth of the sun's rays.

His plan was foiled, however, when Estel's excited giggles grew louder and, along with hurried steps of small feet, ran towards him.  
  
  
"Dan! Dan!"  


Elladan cracked his eyes open again, focusing them on the small child that ran to join him as fast as his little legs would allow.  
  
Water was dripping from his hands which he held cupped together, probably containing one of the frogs of the pond that Estel could no longer wait to show his oldest brother.  


"Dan, look!"

 

The boy reached his side, a little out of breath, but his eyes shining with excitement and glee. Dutifully Elladan leaned forward, inspecting the small hands that Estel was lifting towards him. At that moment Estel opened his hands to reveal that they were actually empty, save water that he had scooped up from the pond, and which he now splashed into his brother's face.

With a high-pitched giggle Estel turned on the spot and dashed behind Elrohir's legs, who had been following the young boy at a safe distance.

There was a sparkle of unconcealed amusement in the younger twin's eyes as he watched his older brother blink the few drops of water out of his eyes that Estel had managed to hit him with. Between racing over to the bench and the less than perfect containment provided by his small hands, Estel had lost most of the water he had scooped up from the pond.

Elladan raised his sleeve to wipe the remaining droplets of water from his face and watched as Elrohir leaned down to the young boy to whisper conspiratorially into his ear. A mischievous smile spread across Estel's face and he lifted his arms to carefully take the frog that Elrohir handed him. With a smirk he watched Estel dash back towards the main house of Imladris, safe in the knowledge that the house was close enough to see Estel reach the front door and disappear inside.

After his littlest brother has disappeared from view, Elrohir turned to his older brother, the mirth over Estel's prank still sparkling in his eyes.  


 

"So the master mind has come to observe the results of his prank," Elladan intoned with a mock severity in his voice.

But Elrohir raised his hands, claiming innocence.  


"Your praise is misplaced, brother," he informed Elladan. "It was Estel's idea alone, he really wanted to make sure to get your attention."

Elladan raised an eyebrow, not quite believing in his twin's innocence.  


"And sending a frog into Erestor's chambers, was that also Estel's idea?" He had easily overheard Elrohir's whispers to the little boy, suggesting to bring the frog to the chief councillor of their father as a new pet.

The younger twin shrugged.  
  
"Estel mentioned he wanted to show his treasured amphibian friend with someone, I merely suggested that Erestor would be delighted with a surprise." Elladan's gentle laughter suggested that the older twin agreed with that assessment.  


"And what kind of surprise, pray tell, would that be?"  
  
  
Elrohir nearly jumped out of his skin as the stern voice of Erestor interrupted Elladan's chuckles. He whirled around to face the advisor, all the while trying to maintain an innocent expression.

 

"Erestor. What brings you to the gardens?" He easily deflected the older elf's question with one of his own.

 

But knowing that Erestor would not so easily be deterred, he added, "Did you not meet Estel on your way here? He just left to find you, he had something to show you."  


Erestor scrutinized the younger twin's face carefully. Millennia of experience had taught him to be weary of the carefully schooled expression of innocence, the soft smile that was just a bit too predatory, the sparkle of mirth in his eyes.  
  
  
But, he also knew that pressing the twins for further information would only give Estel a head start to carry out whatever his older brothers had planned for him. So he dismissed the matter for now and instead relayed to the twins the message he had come to deliver. "Your father is requesting your presence in his office."

Before the twins could reply, Erestor turned around and hurried, as fast as he could without appearing to be in undue haste after, the little adan who had disappeared into the house earlier.

Behind him, Elrohir helped his brother to his feet, and together they set out to discover the reason for their father's summons.

TBC

 

  
  
  


 


	2. Parchment

"Why does Ada want to see us?" questioned Elrohir, as he and his brother hurried down the numerous corridors of the last Homely House.  
  
"Have you done anything to Erestor besides sending him the frog?" inquired Elladan.

  
Of the many possible reasons that could warrant them an invatation to their father's office, their pranks were always the most likely to be the cause of their summons.  
  
Elrohir responded with a resounding negative, and Elladan smirked at his brother, knowing Elrohir was never innocent when it came to any of the mischief that occurred in or around Rivendell.  
  
When they arrived before their father's office, Elladan pushed open the intricately carved door without hesitation, allowing both him and Elrohir to enter.

  
"You wanted to see us, Ada?" said Elladan.

The Lord of Imladris looked up with a somber face as his sons entered.   
  
"Yes,  _Ion nin_ " Elrond replied.

  
Noting their father's worried face,the brothers reasoned they had not been called to receive a reprimand  
  
.  
Elladan closed the carved door, and walked with deliberate strides towards Elrond, with Elrohir following him. They nimbly climbed atop Elrond's large desk and seated themselves comfortably on the yellow stacks of parchment adorning it.  
  
Elrond winced as his desk creaked beneath the weight of two fully grown ellons.  
  
His sons however, were less concered about the desk, and more concerned with the being siting behind it. Two identical faces stared at Elrond expectantly, Elrond sighed, and tugged a sheaf of papers out from under Elrohir's boot.  
  
The paper was thin and blank, and damp from the pond water that still clung to Elrohir's foowear, but the faint lines of almost invisible silver ink that adorned the stationary was instantly recognizable to the twins. 

"Moon runes?" said the younger twin quizzically.  
  
"Yes." said Elrond.  
  
Elladan and Elrohir shared a swift look, moon runes were a invention of the dwarves, letters that were written in magical ink that faded away to nothingness, and could only be reavealed when a certain moon shone upon them.  
  
"What is the need for this secrecy, Ada?" asked Elladan.   
  
"These papers contain information that the enemy must not obtain." answered his father. "You and Elrohir will deliver them to Lorien, if anything befalls you on the way, I wish to ensure none are able to read it."  
  
Another look was shared by the elven brothers, the passing of ambiguous knowledge and documents between the lands of the Hidden Valley and other elf realms was not usual, the children of the rulers usually acting as messengers.  
  
But Elrond's precautions to prevent the information from ever being stolen always bordered on the lines of paranoia.   
However, the assignment was famlilir to the twins. 

"When do we set off?" asked Elrohir.

  
"Tommorrow morning, ion nin." replied Elrond.

  
Elrohir nodded, and in tandem, the twins slid off their father's desk and ran for the door.  
  
Elrond heard their voices echoing down the halls as they walked away, Elladan's laughter floated back, and Elrond blinked away the tears that suddenly obscured his vision. 

Elladan rarely laughed anymore, only perhaps with Estel and his brother, Elladan's smiles were easy to come by, but laughter, pure genuine joy over something, was almost unattainable for the older twin.  
  
Elladan had been the one hurt most badly by his mother's departure, he had held the grief of not just one, but two, drawing most of his brother's pain into his own self, through the mystical bond he shared with his twin.  
  
Elrond was drawn out of his sad musings by the entrance of Erestor. His chief Councillor looked disheveled and exasperated, and to Elrond's shock, in the palm of one hand, Erestor held a tiny green frog.  
  


"Brother, help me." commanded Elladan.

Elrohir offered his twin a lopsided smirk, and rearranged himself on the cushions of his bed. Elladan stood at the foot of the bed, folding and reorganizing the clothing Elrohir had hastily crammed into his leather pack.  
  
"You know I do not like packing, Dan." reminded Elrohir playfully.

  
"You are lazy." grumbled Elladan, as he meticulously creased a pair of his brother's leggings,

 

"You need to learn to be neat, instead of littering your possessions about, they make your room look like Estel's nursery." chastised Elladan.  
  
"Yes, Naneth." replied Elrohir sarcastically.  
  
Elladan hunched his shoulders and turned away, his thin hands gripping the bedpost so hard his knuckles turned white.  
  
Elrohir realized what he had said.

"I am sorry!" the younger twin screamed, leaping off the bed and dashing to his brother's side.  
  
When Elladan refused to look at him, Elrohir wrapped his arms around his brother's waist, and rested his head on Elladan's shoulder. 

  
"I am sorry." whispered Elrohir once more, into his brother's shoulder. "Iston." answered Elladan heavily.  
  
The brothers stood like that for awhile, Elladan supporting his brother's weight, as Elrohir breathed in the scent of his brother, a peculiar smell of wind and leaves that the twins had acquired from their days hunting with the Dunadan.  
  
Eventually, they crawled into Elrohir's bed and let sleep take them, t heir packing and Elrond's farewell banquet was left forgotten and unattended.  
  
  
                                                          - oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOooOo -  
  


The next day, Elladan and Elrohir were awake before the first rays of sunlight had began to slant through their windows.   
  
Properly attired in hunting garb, they snuck along the quiet hallways to the kitchens, where they purloined a dozen honey-coated pastries.  
  
They were caught by the cook, who scolded them, but then insisted on brushing and braiding their hair, and serving them a proper meal. T he sun was rising when the twins reached the stables.  
  
Sitting on a pile of hay, some of it stuck to his hair, a half awake Estel blinked up at them.  
  
"Dan, Ro, where are you going?" questioned the grey-eyed morsel.  
  
Elladan reached down and scooped Estel up into his arms. 

" We have to deliver a message to our grandmother," said Elladan.

  
Estel's forehead furrowed  in concentration, "Oh Lady 'Dreil!" he said.

 

Wriggling out of Elladan's grasp, Estel rummaged beneath the nearby pile of hay and pulled forth a sword, the sword was as nearly as tall as him, and he could only move it by clasping his two tiny hands around the hilt and straining backwards with all his might.  
  
Elladan and Elrohir gawked. 

"Sweet Eru!" exclaimed Elrohir. "Estel, how did you manage to bring Glorfindel's sword down here?"  
  
Estel shrugged and looked up innocently.

"I want to go on 'ventures with you and Dan." said the child, glancing down the sword, he looked up again somewhat timidly.   
  
"Can I come with you Ro?"

"Yes!" said Elrohir, earning himself a backhanded slap on the arm from his brother.

  
"You are too young, Estel." said Elrohir, quickly reinventing his sentence under Elladan's displeased glare. "But later,when you are grown up and strong, you can come with us."  
  
"And we then, will be the most feared hunters in the history of Arda." interjected Elladan.  
  
"Yes, with our little brother beside us, nothing can happen!" said Elrohir, he gripped Estel's wrists and launched the little boy into the air, Estel giggled as Elladan caught him.  
  
"Estel." called the voice of the trio's father from the doorway, "Glorfindel wants his sword back."

Elladan carefully set the boy onto the ground.  
  
Estel threw his arms around the twins' legs.   
  
"Namarie." he chirped.

"Namaire." echoed Elladan and Elrohir, then Estel detached himself, and trotted away towards the last Homely House, dragging Glorfindel's sword behind him.  
  
The twins stared after him, he looked so much like Arathorn at that moment, the smile and the wide grey eyes, even the way he dragged the sword was reminiscent to the way Arathorn would dangle his own sword...Arathorn who they had been unable to save...  
  
Their father's voice broke into their thoughts, Elrond held out his his arms for a embrace, which the twins gave him, Elrond pushed their hair back behind their pointed ears, fastened the roll of parchment beneath Elladan's tunic, implored them to be careful, and then watched as they shouldered their packs, and led their horses out of the stable.  
  
Soon, the Lord of Rivendell was left alone with only the wind as a companion, as he watched his sons ride away.

 

 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I love feedback, it really helps me get more chapters out. So leave feedback, I'll be ever so grateful. This work started as a collaboration with someone I am not in contact with anymore, but I still want to give them due credit for their contribution. Some chapters are mine, some were theirs. Thanks, sehellys.


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